The present invention relates, in general, to displaying information graphically and, in particular, to increasing the comprehensibility of flowcharts.
Visual representations of data can be useful to help persons understand the underlying information. For example, computer software exists for producing flowcharts from computer code. Such software allows for a programmer, or some other person, to see a visual representation of the computer code. Just as computer code can be complex, a graphical representation of computer code can be similarly complex. Visual representations of information besides computer code may also be complex and hard to decipher.
For example, FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a fairly complex flowchart. Flowchart 100 represents the workflow of an information systems help desk. Flowcharts with similar or a greater level of complexity may require a user to follow arrows (or other indicators) carefully in order to determine what step or steps follow or precede a step. Further, computer-generated visual representations of data, such as computer-generated flowcharts, may not be organized efficiently. For example, a computer-generated flowchart may have a number of overlapping lines. Such an arrangement may result in a person having to carefully trace lines (such as by following the line with a finger) in order to determine the following or preceding steps.